by Celia Hughes

It is September and that means it is time for the Art Spark Texas Artist of the Year Awards Celebration. We annually honor artists with disabilities from across all artistic disciplines who embody the spirit and vision of Art Spark Texas. Every year we honor a wide variety of artists who are represented by a substantial body of work or who lead the way as a community catalyst for change.

Now in our seventh year of honoring artists, we continue to be impressed by the artists who are nominated, which makes the work of our awards panel so much more difficult.  This year, our celebrated artists come from all walks of life, and two awards this year are being given to a musical duo and a group of filmmakers with developmental disabilities. It just reinforces our belief that through our work we are supporting arts-inspired communities of individuals with disabilities.

This year we have moved to the accessible Rollins Theatre at the Long Center, with reserved accessible parking.  For information regarding directions or parking, please contact [email protected]. 

Meet our 2024 Artists! 

Artie Mills
Haven-Street Allen Artist of the Year

Karen (aka Artie) is a disabled veteran, small business owner and vibrant human with a mission to spread kindness and cheer. She owns THOSE Vending Machines, Austin’s Weirdest Vending Machines. THOSE vending machines provide a way for marginalized artists to sell their wares in unusual locations around town. She is not only a passionate artist and advocate for people with disabilities and devoted mother of two children with autism, her strength as a disabled veteran adds an important diversity to Austin’s artistic community.

Abby Kenigsberg
Gloria Bond Creative Aging Award

Abby believes laughter is the shortest distance between people. In her book, Shenanigans, a memoir about a woman who became a successful media watchdog as well as a more sympathetic wife, mother and daughter, she chronicles her adventures as the founding Executive Director of the Long Island Coalition for Fair Broadcasting. Most recently, at age 85, she wrote and directed a comedic play called, “Ficklebrott,” which she corralled her fellow residents to perform at Westminster in Austin.

The Spinrockers – Devin Gutierrez and Mary Rose Bushland
SPARK Award

The Spinrockers is a pop rock duet that writes and performs original music. Devin Gutierrez (instrumentalist and vocalist) and Mary Rose Bushland (vocals and piano) met at Texas School for Blind and Visually Impaired where they formed The Spinrockers. When The Spinrockers first began, Devin and Mary Rose entertained the nation through the “Live from the Living Room Concert Series” during the COVID-19 quarantine. They have since created their own original music which seeks to inspire others with disabilities. Friends say that music lives in their souls.

HPUMC Spotlight Academy of the Arts
Lynn Marie Johnson Media Arts Award

Spotlight Academy of the Arts’ Short Film Program gives voice to individuals with disabilities and a means to share their experiences with the world. For the past six years, the Spotlight Academy has premiered an original film every August. This award-winning inclusive film project is a program of the Belong Disability Ministry of Highland Park UMC in Dallas. Its aim is to promote individuality, originality, and disability advocacy.

Christina Culverhouse
Director’s Commendation

Christina is an eclectic artist involved in the arts, jewelry making, poetry and open mic community. “I create to give voice and language to express that for which there are no words.” She attends numerous poetry groups every month to advocate for people with disabilities and has published several books featuring local poets and Artists from Austin and beyond.